The 2020 Tokyo Olympics Are Postponed

The 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games are not going ahead as planned now that coronavirus has sparked widespread health and safety concerns. USA Today reports that a member of the IOC (International Olympic Committee) has confirmed the Games are postponed—but not canceled.

“On the basis of the information the IOC has, postponement has been decided,” IOC member Dick Pound told the outlet. “The parameters going forward have not been determined, but the Games are not going to start on July 24, that much I know.”

“It will come in stages. We will postpone this and begin to deal with all the ramifications of moving this, which are immense.”

As for why they didn’t cancel the Games, the IOC exec board said that would “destroy the Olympic dream of 11,000 athletes.” “Cancelation would not solve any problem and would help nobody. Therefore it is not on our agenda,” wrote IOC President Thomas Bach last week.

Meanwhile, leaders from different sports have been calling for action since before the IOC made a move. Tim Hinchey III, the head of USA Swimming, recently advocated for the Olympics to be postponed until 2021 in a letter to the US Olympic & Paralympic Committee. USA Track & Field (USATF) also asked that the 2020 Olympic Games be postponed.

Additionally, the Canadian Olympic Committee (COC) and Australian Olympic Committee (AOC) both announced Monday that they would not send athletes to the Summer Games unless the organizers postponed the event until 2021.